Korean Job Discussion Forums

mteach · Joined: 16 Dec 2017

So I am in quite a sticky situation. I am a Korean American living in the states.
First off I just want to ask if anyone has had any problems whilst trying to obtain their visas. I just got off the phone with the Korea Consulate of my state and I was told since I was born between the years of 1988 and 1998 I go by my father's citizenship at the time of my birth. Which to my knowledge he was a Korean citizen with a green card. (strike one) Also, my parents met in the states and got married BUT I was told they probably did not register as a couple in Korea since they thought they would spend their whole lives in the states.. But in order for me to obtain an F4 visa I was told that I would need to go to Korea and register myself as their child, which I cannot do until they register themselves as a couple, which is impossible at the moment because we don't speak to my father anymore. And then once I register myself I need to denounce my Korean citizenship to make me completely legal to get an F4 visa.
So, I asked if there would be a problem in obtaining an E2 visa as a last resort and was told if there is no proof that my father denounced his Korean citizenship before I was born, I would legally in Korea, still be a Korean citizen whether registered on legal family registration or not. Therefore, I would not be eligible to get an E2 at all.

Am I the only one having such a hard time getting my Visa? Sad

I have all the other documents apostilled CBC, notarized diploma, US passport, everything... Can anyone pleasssse help a girl out? I'm just trying to get to my ethnic homeland Sad

Thanks for reading this super long sob story, but really I would appreciate any help I can possibly get. Smile

Njord · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Location: South Korea

If you are male, you need to be extremely careful or you risk being conscripted into the Korean military. This has happened to US citizens who had never even been to Korea or had knowledge of any Korean citizenship.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

IF you are a Korean citizen then you cannot get a visa. You are a citizen.
You can work toward getting your Korean passport.

IF you cannot claim Korean citizenship then you can obtain your F4 based on Korean ancestry or an E2 if ancestry cannot be shown.

First you need to properly determine your citizenship status.
You can always go to Korea on a tourist entry (90-days) and try to straighten things out from there regarding your status (assuming you can speak Korean).

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